DP World rail service

The service – which ran for the first-time last weekend – runs every Saturday, taking less than five hours and removing up to 120 lorries a week from the roads, cutting carbon emissions by up to 80%. DP World plans to increase the frequency of the train next year.

John Trenchard, UK Commercial & Supply Chain Director of DP World, said the company was unique in offering customers a choice of deep-water entry and exit points to and from the UK. “This new rail service will make it even easier for our customers to switch volumes quickly and easily between the two locations, which means greater flexibility and choice,” he said.

Last month, DP World announced the start of construction at London Gateway’s new £350 million fourth berth, which will lift capacity by a third when it opens in 2024. The project is supporting 1,000 jobs and the logistics park will employ a further 12,000 people when it is completed in five years’ time.

The company has also earmarked a further £1 billion of investment in the UK over the next ten years.